Owls, Climates, and Experts

Journal of Cognition and Culture • Vol/Iss. 18(1-2) • Brill • • Published In • Pages: 66-88 •
By Munroe, Robert L., Gauvian, Mary

Abstract

The present study explores the cognitive and affective attitudes towards owls in cold-climate and warm-climate societies. In addition, a few hypotheses were tested. Specifically, the research question asks which societies would have greater owl ethnozoological knowledge, functional usage, conception of owls in positive magico-religious terms, and positive supernaturalistic interpretations of owls' behaviors and characteristics. The results offer support for the initial predictions with the exception that cold-climate societies do not have more positive magico-religious conceptions of owls than warm-climate societies.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
eHRAF World CulturesResearchers' own
Probability Sample Files (PSF)Previously Coded Data

Hypotheses (5)

HypothesisSupported
Cold-climate societies, in contrast to warm climate societies, will have higher functional use of owls.Supported
Cold-climate societies will have more positive magico-religious conceptions of owls than warm-climate societies.Not Supported
Cold-climate societies, in contrast to warm-climate societies, will be less likely to associate owls with negative magico-religious owl terms than warm-climate societies.Supported
Cold-climate societies, in contrast to warm-climate societies, will have more valid ethnozoological owl knowledge than warm-climate societies.Supported
Negative supernaturalistic interpretations of owls' behaviors and characteristics will exceed positive supernaturalistic interpretations in both cold-climate and warm-climate societies.Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: milagro.escobar  anj.droe